Business in Devon takes place between both large companies and small. However every company can benefit from these 10 things, no matter their size.
If you are reading this article it’s possible you are a start-up,aiming to get as much publicity as you can at the least cost. Larger businesses will already have teams of people handing some of the opportunities mentioned here, simply because they work so well.
Whether you are a solopreneur, entrepreneur or medium to large company, corporation, charity or organisation it will be interesting to see whether you are making the most of these opportunities. Some are universal no matter where you’re located while others are specifically for those who conduct business in Devon.
These 10 free things will certainly help you promote yourself and your business better. Additionally for those with a marketing budget we have included some helpful links. The first four relate specifically to Google, which offers several free resources for you to take advantage of.
1. Register a gmail account and set up a Google Chrome profile
You most probably have an email address linked to your company domain, however it’s still helpful to have a gmail address as this one account has the power to control all things Google pertaining to your company. This includes free services such as Google Business Profile, YouTube and Google Analytics, while also giving you the opportunity to access paid services such as Google Adwords and Adsense.
Having a Chrome profile for your business, and even for each project, enables you to keep all online activity pertaining to your company or project in one place. You can even pin web pages as tabs or in groups. For example it’s quite helpful to have a group for all your social media platforms, providing easy access in one place.
2. Register for a Google Business Profile
If you are not using Google Business Profile you are missing out. Registering not only gives you an increased presence on the world’s main search engine, but you can also provide regular updates as you would on social media. This was previously called Google My Business and is well worth the effort. It seems that if you play ball with Google, they will play ball with you, in terms of increased exposure.
Promote your Business in Devon through free Google services such as gmail, Google business profile and YouTube.
3. Create a YouTube Channel
You may not have a single video to share, however having a YouTube Channel gives you the opportunity to add an overview of your company on YouTube with links to your website and social platforms. This is beneficial as YouTube is the next largest search engine to Google and is part of the family. You can also use your gmail address to subscribe to your client’s channels and like and comment on their videos as a measure of goodwill. Consider having at least one video on your channel providing a broad overview of your company, products and services. This is also helpful to embed into blogs or share the link in company listings.
4. Ensure you have business pages
Chances are you have a LinkedIn profile. Good, but extend its use with a business page. You can invite your followers to like your business page and get extra mileage for your posts by sharing them to this secondary resource. You can easily appoint an external admin to your LinkedIn page while this is not possible with your personal profile without giving out your personal log in details. Likewise don’t just use your personal Facebook of Twitter Account, you will get much more traction if you also share to your page on both platforms. Another way pages can benefit you is by sharing as your page in appropriate groups.
5. Use a clear, businesslike headshot
We all know about the importance of first impressions. A good headshot can be a gamechanger. So don’t rely on a selfie or office party photograph. Ask a colleague to take a selection of photographs of you, preferably against a neutral background and upload the best shot to all of your personal social profiles giving you a level of continuity. If you need help with this, Sarah Aires of Cadenz Remote Headshots has perfected the art of taking pictures of business leaders and their staff, via an innovative mobile phone app. This ensures maximum corporate styling which works well not only for social media but also for Meet the Team web pages.
6. Add a blog or news section to your website
Having a website is essential to promote a business in this day and age. If you don’t have one, then speak to Paul Edworthy of Edworthy Media who specialises in engaging websites. It you already have a website, consider adding a news or blog component. It’s really easy to create regular news updates these days. With the increasing accuracy of AI, there is no excuse not to keep your clients updated. You can ask ChatGPT to give you a rough outline for free and add in some fun facts and quotes to ensure your post is interesting. For those who don’t have the confidence to blog, then speak to the team at Countdown Creative who specialise in SEO blogs in the style of ‘They Ask, You Answer’.
7. Register for a free Canva Account.
Canva is an amazing free design resource that enables you to create anything from finding an appropriate stock photograph in its extensive image bank to creating a photo montage, making a sharable social post or creating any kind of document from an invitation to a brochure. Of course using Canva doesn’t make you a graphic designer, however it is a useful tool. If you need professional graphic design, speak to Chris Outlaw of Elements Brand Management.
Promote your business in Devon
8. Submit a free article to The Exeter Daily
The Exeter Daily is one of the regions’ best kept secrets! It is an online news site that works a little bit like Wikipedia. This is because anyone can contribute and submit news articles. This is an excellent opportunity to get increased exposure for your company, charity or organisation. And, it is a completely free service. Once you have submitted your article it will require approval which shouldn’t be a problem if you write a short factual piece of copy that has a sufficiently good news angle. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may help you with putting this together, however if you need professional human assistance you could always liaise with a local copywriter.
9. Get a free company listing
Similarly, you can submit a free company listing in our Devon Business Directory. This will enable you to add your logo, contact details, social profiles and company overview, along with a video clip. This will give you free exposure and valuable backlinks to your website. It will also associate you with other front runners representing business in Devon, especially if you also create a paid business leader listing.
10. Submit a press release
You are also welcome to email press releases about your company or anything relating to business in Devon to hello@devonbusiness.news. If our editors consider the information you supply to be of sufficient local interest, they will publish it in our news section. Be sure to submit your release with a photograph as each post needs a featured image. (hence the importance of having Canva at your fingertips!)
We hope you have been inspired by these 10 free opportunities to increase the amount of business in devon, that you receive. Rest assured, your company will benefit by engaging with and using this article as a checklist of what can be done to get your business noticed in the Southwest.
Also see: 5 effective ways to advertise in Devon with a special focus on Plymouth.
